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Friday, November 15, 2013

False Heroism

"False Heroism: Saving a life when you know that person will be dead within a month no matter what." Keep Breathing RT"

When a patient is blue as Brainy Smurf's nose when he's wheeled into the emergency room, there's a small chance we will save him. But for what? So he can lie in a hospital bed for a week with a tube in every orifice while the family stresses over what to do?
I participated in such an act of false heroism recently, and as I was walking home I watched as the ambulance passed by with lights ablazing. I wasn't sure whether to pray for the person, or to ask God to make the transition easy. It was a very humbling moment.

The solution to this problem entails a prolonged discussion in the arena of ideas, and a public educational campaign regarding end of life decisions.